


Helping Hand

by Notyoursterotypicalnerd



Category: Marvel
Genre: Marvel - Freeform, Multi, tony stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27681344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Notyoursterotypicalnerd/pseuds/Notyoursterotypicalnerd
Summary: Rumour has it if you say, “I wish my dad was here”, Tony Stark would cross paths with you and help you.





	Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Cameo: Pepper

Tony felt a shiver down as spine as he enjoyed his date night with Pepper; it wasn’t unusual, shivers down the spine were something that Tony Stark was used to even if he wasn’t cold.

He placed his arm around Pepper’s waist as they swayed around the dance floor. He smiled as they danced, as they enjoyed each other’s company. Their date nights were rare but when they did manage to have one it felt like it was just two of them in the whole world.

As the music stopped; Pepper went to pull away from Tony “I’m just going to the bathroom” before walking away from him. Tony watched her leave his gaze before wondering over to his table that he had booked for the night. His eyes scanned the room; it seemed like any other restaurant, it seemed normal but something in the pit of his stomach was screaming that something was wrong, but Tony couldn’t see anything.

He looked down at the two empty glasses wondering where his waitress had gone too; He was Tony Stark; his glasses weren’t allowed to be empty. They were still waiting for the poor girl to bring over the desert menu even though Pepper and the waitress knew that it would be the same thing that they always ordered.

“Excuse me” He called out to a waiter who was trying to pass by.

The waiter stopped and looked at Tony “Yes, Sir?”

“Uh,the girl…red hair, blue eyes. My waitress, where is she?” Tony asked.

The waiter turned his head letting his eyes scan the room for the woman that Tony had attempted to describe but he couldn’t see the waitress on the floor “I’ll see if I can find her for you” The waiter walked away from the table before placing down a tray of drinks at a table before wondering to continue his job while trying to find the waitress.

It took 10 minutes before the waitress came back;her eyes were red from crying and her attempt at fixing her makeup was noticeable.

Pepper looked up at the girl standing at their table “Can we please get” Pepper looked at Tony “Just the usual?” she noticed that he was staring at the waitress. She sometimes wondered if Tony had really changed his ways, though she hadn’t had the need to take the trash out in quite some time, but he was staring uncomfortably long at the waitress.

“Sure” Tony didn’t take his gaze off the waitress.

The waitress jotted down on her notepad “I’ll be one moment” she bravely kept her voice calm before turning her back and walking away; she was used to males uncomfortably staring at her, it was part of her job. The one part of her job that she hated.

“Tony?” Pepper called his attention.

Tony quickly snapped his attention to his date “Yes, dear” He smiled.

“You were staring.”

“I was” Tony nodded slightly “Did you look like she was crying?”

Pepper raised an eyebrow “Crying? I don’t know. She wasn’t, she’s probably just tired.”

Tony pursed his lips together; he didn’t believe Pepper’s words. He had seen enough woman crying to know what it looked like when they were trying to fake their happiness.

\- - -

The two of them enjoyed their final moments of their date together; Tony paid for the meals “Can I speak to the waitress that was serving us, please” He asked the manager.

“Is there a problem, I can help you with?” the manager asked.

Tony shook his head “No, I just noticed something and thought I would put my mind at ease”

“Tony” Pepper complained at his choice of words.

The manager nodded before wondering through the room to grab the waitress.

“Is there somewhere private, I can talk to her?” Tony asked when the manager and waitress were closer.

The waitress bit down on her lower lip feeling uncomfortable with Tony’s words.

“There is, let me lead you to my office”

\- - -

“Pep, you can stay. You” Tony pointed to the manager “You can leave.”

“Sir” The manager went to close the door behind him.

“Leave it open.” Pepper instructed.

The manager left the door open ajar as he left.

Tony unbuttoned his jacket as he sat down; He looked at the name tag on her shirt before looking up at her “Tania, I was wondering where you crying while you were serving us”

Tania’s gaze shifted down to the ground “No, sir”

“No, need to call me Sir. Just call me Tony.” He calmly responded “I’m not mad if you were crying. It’s just you left for some time and clearly pepper, and I had other plans for tonight” He looked over at his beautiful date before looking at the waitress “Just” He tried to find his words “Why were you crying?”

Tania looked up at Tony before sighing “My boyfriend broke up with me, my cat died, my landlord just upped my rent and my boss is cutting my hours” The flood gates of tears opened up as she couldn’t stop confessing her problems “Everything is just piling up and I’m sorry Mr Stark, Ms Potts. I didn’t mean to ruin your night. I just saw how happy the two of you were together and I co.…” She couldn’t finish her sentence. She placed her hands over her face to hid her tears. “I just wish my dad was here, he’d always know the right thing to do.” She whispered.

Pepper and Tony looked at each other; She knew what her date was about to do. Tony rose up from his spot and awkwardly wrapped his arms around the girl. He wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do but it felt like a start. Pepper kept a careful watch on Tony trying to keep a lawsuit away.

“Tania, how about I help you out. Let me give you some money, let me help you with your problems.”

Tania seemed confused as she lowered her hands away from her eyes “Help me? Why would you want to help me? I couldn’t pay you back.”

Tony let go of Tania “I don’t want you to pay me back, I just want you to be happy. I want you to succeed and not to let tears ruin your day” He looked over at Pepper “There’s a position at Stark Industries ,right Pep?”

Pepper thought for a moment “I’m pretty sure there is something coming up.” She tried to find a position in her mind but couldn’t pinpoint one.

“Tomorrow ,drop your resume off at Stark Industries and ask to only speak to Pepper Potts.” Tony looked back at Tania “I can talk to your landlord and if he and I don’t reach any agreement than I’m sure we can find you somewhere suitable to stay. As for your boyfriend” Tony shrugged “Clearly you can do better”

“Tony” Pepper thought he had just insulted the poor girl.

Tania was in shock. She couldn’t believe it; Tony Stark wanted to help her, she didn’t attend any of the colleges that proudly added the Stark name to their brochures nor did she have any link to the charities that Stark proudly supported, she was just a woman who felt down on her luck at the worst possible time.

= = =

Tony pulled his car up to the red light as he watched the cars past by; he attempted to listen to the various conversations happening as he waited, he tried to zone out of the horrid music that blasted from the cars nearby. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for the change of light.

“Just sometimes, I wish my dad was here.”

That conversations had perked his attention, he turned his head to see a male with a damaged suitcase in his hand as he walked with another male.

“He would know what to do. Maybe he’d even be proud to still call me his son. Maybe, I wouldn’t be struggling right now. Maybe…” The guy shook his head “I just wish mum understand that I was born with this not something that I can just change.”

The friend wrapped his arm over the guy “You know I still love you babe, whether your mum likes it or not.”

Tony jumped to attention when he heard someone beep their car horn at him.

“LIGHTS GREEN,MORON!”

Tony looked up in the rear-view mirror before putting his foot down, driving down the streets.

\- - -

He waited in line; he hated waiting in lines.

“Can I just grab a strong black and a” He looked down at the display of food “That” he pointed to the muffin as he spoke to the server.

The server nodded before giving a total and telling Tony to wait; As Tony waited he noticed the two males that he had drove past, the one that seemed to be having troubles at home;The guy still had his damaged suitcase.

“Those two in line, can I pay for whatever they ordered” Tony whispered to the server making coffees.

The server looked up at Tony “Uh…um..okay?” The server spoke to the one at the register. The server at the register smiled a little before finishing the order up.

“How much is our total?” The guy with the suitcase asked.

“It’s on that guy.” The server pointed to Tony.

The two males at the counter looked at each other before looking at the server “Okay” they seemed confused.

The male with the suitcase stepped closer to Tony “What do I have to do in exchange for you paying for our stuff?”

“Nothing.” Tony responded.

“There’s got to be a catch. No one just shouts someone for nothing. Do you want me to get down on my knees, do you have a thing for desperate young man?” The guy asked.

Tony seemed slightly offended but mostly confused “No.”

“Anthony, he was just being nice and paying for our things plus look at the total. There was no way, we would have been able to afford twenty dollar’s worth of stuff.” The guy’s friend complained.

Tony looked at the friend than at the guy who has just been named Anthony “Can I ask do either of you have somewhere safe to stay?”

The friend nodded slightly “I do but Anthony doesn’t his mum kicked him out because she doesn’t like that his gay”

Tony looked at Anthony “There’s nothing wrong with being gay. Some of my closest friends are in great same sex relationships. I’m sorry to hear that your mother doesn’t accept it.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled a card from his wallet before handing the card to Anthony “Do me a favour, ring this place up.”

Anthony looked at the card in Tony’s hand “It’s not a homeless shelter is it? I’ve had bad experiences with those places.”

Tony shook his head “Not quite. You will have your own room and possibly your own bathroom but don’t quote me on that. I just don’t want a kid like you to be homeless. You can stay as long as you like, and rent is quite reasonable” Tony would know, he had set up a LGBTIQ safe zone regardless of someone’s sexuality ,religion, skin colour or gender they were more than welcome to stay for a few moments or for years.

= = =

Weeks had passed since Tony had personally spoken or seen Tania and Anthony, but he had heard that Tania was doing pretty fine as part of the team at Stark Industries, she was now receptionist in training, unfortunately her landlord had kicked her out but with the help of Pepper and Tony, Tania now had a safe two-bedroom apartment with affordable rent.

Anthony had written a letter to Tony explaining how much Tony’s gesture had meant. Stating that Anthony had felt like he was losing hope in society and that his boyfriend Steve was the only rock he had but unfortunately Steve’s parents didn’t like Anthony which is why Anthony was homeless. He even explained that he was down to his last few dollars and he had to drop out of his art degree because his mother didn’t want to fund the dreams of her gay son. Though Anthony was still living in the safe zone, he added in his letter that it was the best place that Anthony had ever lived in.

After Tony had read that letter; Tony had personally written a letter back to Anthony even explaining that Tony would gladly fund Anthony to go back to school to finish his degree and said that anytime Anthony needed something that Tony would gladly helped even promising that he would help Anthony open an art studio if he wanted one.

Tony Stark was many things; the media had labelled Tony with many labels but what they didn’t understand was he was never ever heartless. He gave and gave, he would even give the shirt off his back if it meant that someone else would have a better moment. He was willingly helping society not just as Iron Man but also as Tony Stark. He didn’t care if someone had money, he didn’t care if someone had a million different degrees under their belt, he didn’t care if someone was on top of the world or was on rock bottom. He would be there lending a hand, he didn’t do these things because he wanted his name attached to it,some…most of the time he did things Anonymously and it wasn’t until someone pointed out that it was Tony Stark who started it. He didn’t need his name to be the first thing people saw; he just wanted to give to the world, give to the world a piece that very few gave.

Tony Stark wanted to show the world kindness and kind gestures, he wanted to show those down on their luck that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He wanted to prove to the world that you still mattered even if you feel like you didn’t, He wanted to prove to the world that even if you are dreading to wake up each day just remember that there is someone out there keeping an eye on you.


End file.
